“I won’t be running for President because I am super committed to the work Melinda and I are doing at the Foundation and outside the Foundation,” Gates explained on Reddit. “I agree it is important to have a President who thinks long term about the US role in the world and the research to solve disease burdens and costs and to tackle climate change and improve education.”

Regardless of who is in the White House though, Gates said Americans may be overestimating the government’s ability to improve education and fight poverty.

“I do think people are expecting too much from Government,” he continued. “Yes Government can do better but local groups can do a lot that government can’t – helping out in schools, reaching out to people in poverty.”

Gates says that providing aid through smaller, localised groups is a vision he’d like to see not just in the US, but worldwide as well.

“This is also true internationally,” he said. “I would like to see this civil society sector step up a lot more. Some issues like abortion or even immigration we may never get a consensus on but there are things like better health and better education that we can achieve.”

NOW WATCH: Tech Insider videos

Want to read a more in-depth view on the trends influencing Australian business and the global economy? BI / Research is designed to help executives and industry leaders understand the major challenges and opportunities for industry, technology, strategy and the economy in the future. Sign up for free at research.businessinsider.com.au.